A protected sidewalk will be installed on South Estes Drive in front of University Place this week, as the Chapel Hill shopping center continues to undergo extensive renovations and redevelopment.

The town government shared an alert to the community on social media Thursday. To make room for the sidewalk, one of the westbound lanes on South Estes between Fordham Boulevard and Willow Drive will be closed. One of the left turn lanes on Fordham Boulevard to South Estes will be closed as well.

“We’re very excited,” Chapel Hill Mayor Pam Hemminger said of University Place’s overall redevelopment. “The whole place is gonna look great and [will] be very accessible by foot, bike, transit. But there are some construction pains you have to go through to get there.

“I know that people are a little stressed with some of the other construction projects going on,” she continued, “but once these projects are finished, it’s going to be awesome.”

The University Place redevelopment initially began last fall as property was fenced off to prepare for the construction of apartments. Demolition on parts of the shopping center, including the space formerly occupied by Southern Season, began in March. The apartment project, 900 Willow, is continuing — with the parking deck and apartment complex structures almost entirely built. Meanwhile, the east side of the property has been leveled and work is underway to construct new store fronts on the existing building and several separate retail buildings.

Estes Drive is also going through its own extensive redevelopment, though the Town of Chapel Hill’s Estes Drive Connectivity Project is unrelated to University Place’s redevelopment. The connectivity project is estimated to finish by next spring.

Editor’s Note: Chapel Hill Media Group is a tenant of University Place, having first moved there in 2016.

 

Photo via the Town of Chapel Hill.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
Top Stories of 2023: Changes Abound at University Place, Estes Drive and Greensboro Street
Development is often the talk of the town in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. In 2023, several major projects aligned with each other.
Estes Drive Traffic Shift Scheduled to Begin July 5
As the Estes Drive Connectivity Project continues to progress, the Town of Chapel Hill is planning to shift traffic from the right side of the road to the left side beginning Wednesday, July 5. In addition, work will begin at 7 p.m. the night of July 6 to move signals at the intersection between Estes […]
WATCH: Demolition Begins on Southern Season Building in Chapel Hill
The gourmet food and boutique items shop Southern Season remained open in Chapel Hill for 44 years at University Place mall. But after closing in January 2020, the space sat vacant and largely untouched. On Monday, the start of a new chapter for the site began, as developers started demolition of the empty store. Ram […]
'Begins to Feel Real': Southern Season Demolition Means Future is Here for University Place
The start of Southern Season's demolition at University Place represents the turning of a new leaf, says the mall's ownership.
University Place Prepares for Southern Season Demolition With New Fencing
UPDATE: University Place issued a press release on Monday, February 27, announcing a demolition ceremony will take place starting at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, March 6. This story, initially published on February 25, has been updated with the information. Tenants of University Place in Chapel Hill learned of a critical next step in the mall’s […]
Labor Day to Affect Local Government Services Around Orange County Community (2025)
Monday marks the observance of Labor Day, which is meant to celebrate the contribution of workers and employees across the United States. With that, the local governments in Orange County will be giving many of their employees the day off, which will affect certain local government services. Ahead of the holiday on Monday, September 1, […]
Facing End of Temporary Shelter, Displaced Camelot Village Residents Lament Landlord Inaction and Limited Options
Some flood victims from Camelot Village have not received July rent or security deposits back even as they face financial and housing strains.
Gov. Stein Surveys Flooding Damage in Chapel Hill, Pledges to 'Do Everything We Can' for Relief
Gov. Josh Stein toured some of the Chapel Hill residences and businesses damaged by Chantal's flooding nearly two weeks prior.
Days After Historic Rain, Chapel Hill and Durham Under Another Flash Flood Warning
Many areas of Orange County, Chatham County and the rest of central North Carolina are again under a flash flood warning on Wednesday.
Celebration of July 4 to Alter Local Government Services in Orange County
The celebration of Independence Day on Friday, July 4 will affect several local government services in and around Orange County. Here’s a look at what will and won’t be happening that week: Town of Chapel Hill All Chapel Hill administrative offices will be closed Friday. Residential trash pickup will not be affected. Commercial trash will […]
›